Welp, SXSW 2015 is dunzo. After any big event or fest – SX, Fun Fun Fun, ACL, even a birthday weekend or friend’s wedding – I harbor a mix of sadness and relief. Sadness because I love celebrating, drinking, and dancing with friends and never want the good times to end, but relief because there is only so much abuse my liver and digestive system can take, especially as I get older. It’s depressing but true.

This weekend, not only did I hop around SX Music but I also went to my friend Aleasha’s lovely wedding, which was an awesome way to cap off my SXSW, but by the end of it all my body was just hating me. So today I tried to get back on the “I’m a normal human who makes relatively good choices” wagon: work out in the morning, take the pup for a long walk, finally do my laundry, run some much-needed errands, etc. And… not consume a drop of alcohol or fried food for the first time in about two weeks. Feels kind of weird.

Easing back into a somewhat responsible routine is a bit of a process. I have a couple tools I use to get myself through the “I just wanna keep partying and eating Taco Bell for every meal” withdrawals. Once I force myself to incorporate all these tricks into my life, I feel 100% better about everything.

5 Detox Tools to Help You Bounce Back!

1. Unfiltered Apple Cider VinegarI go for the famous Bragg’s, or one of the similar organic styles offered at Central Market or Trader Joe’s. ACV is great for helping with digestion, especially if you suffer from acid reflux, heartburn, upset stomach etc. after eating too much rich food or booze. (Tragically, I hardcore fall into this category. Ugh.) Soul food chef Hoover Alexander says that once he started taking a shot of apple cider vinegar every night, he never woke up with heartburn again. Similar to one of my other faves, kombucha, the unfiltered version of ACV has the “mother” which means tons of healthy enzymes and probiotics.
If you are someone who has a hard time stomaching the taste of ACV (I find it to be pretty palatable on its own but I know a lot of people think it’s too acidic) I recommend mixing a tablespoon-ish with some sparkling water or juice.

2. Fresh Smoothies & Cold-Pressed JuicesSpeaking of JUICE. I’m really picky about the quality of my juices and smoothies. Real talk: you can’t just get any jug of orange juice from the store. And you can’t stop by Jamba Juice and get a “smoothie” with a soft-serve ice cream base. All you’re doing is shoving a ton of sugar into your body, which is the last thing you need to be doing when you’re trying to reset and get back on the health train.
I demand cold-pressed, organic, local… I know those are all overused buzzwords but whatever. It’s true. I’m especially loyal to my beloved JUICELAND. I crave Juiceland’s Recovery Punch (watermelon, pineapple, coconut water, beet, lime, himalayan sea salt) whenever I’m feeling groggy and dehydrated. And their smoothies are perfect for when I need a bit more a of a “meal” but still want to stuff myself with as many nutrients as possible. Outside of Juiceland, Daily Greens is my go-to green juice; my favorite is their Renew, or as I like to call it, “the pink one” (mint, spinach, cucumber, watermelon, dandelion greens, pineapple, celery, lime, pink himalayan salt).

3. Healthy Supplements & VitaminsThere are all sorts of vitamins and supplements on the market and I don’t profess to be an expert at all. I will say that I have tried HUM’s Cleanse to the Rescue vitamin packs, full of herbs and enzymes formulated to calm down your digestive system and cut down on bloating, and they really do help with the post-indulgence bloating and grossness. I also like to load up on turmeric (Organic India holla!) to help with inflammation, and a good multi – I currently use Perfect Fit Women’s Multivitamins which I love, then again I’m pretty obsessed with the entire Perfect Fit line of protein & nutritional supplements.
Also… I am NOT above chugging some Airborne and Emergen-C. You get that Vitamin C, girl.

4. Kombucha all day, every dayEveryone knows I LOVE kombucha. Similar to the aforementioned apple cider vinegar, kombucha is great for your gut. It’s a low-calorie probiotic beverage with healthy acids and enzymes plus living bacteria and yeast, which sounds gross but I promise it’s not. (Do you like yogurt? Then you are also eating living probiotic agents.) Kombucha helps your digestion and fights inflammation, which is wonderful for anyone who has been overindulging in the food & drink arena.
If you haven’t tried kombucha, there are all sorts of awesome local options… as seen in my real-life snapshots above, I adore Kosmic Kombucha, handcrafted right here in Austin. I also love Buddha’s Brew (another Austin original – their Peach Mint flavor is unreal), Holy Kombucha (brewed out of Fort Worth), and Kombucha Mane, our friend’s small-batch operation here in Austin. Rob & I just bought a jug of mango-ginger Kombucha Mane from our friend Michael. I’m actually sipping on it… RIGHT MEOW.

5. Exercise!!!Sorry, this isn’t really “one weird trick” or quick fix. And while it’s also an obvious one, it’s not popular. Especially when you’re feeling bloated and hungover and your feet are sore from a long week of walking and dancing. I totally get it. But you know what, there is something to be said for sweating it out. I’m not saying you have to run a marathon, but fitting in a 20 minute HIIT workout, popping in your favorite exercise DVD, exploring your local jogging trail (Austinites: Hike & Bike, anyone?!) or even just taking the dog for a walk around the block can go a long way.

So, there you have it. On top of eating cleanly and mindfully, those are my top 5 detox tools I utilize when the struggle is getting too real. I’m already feeling better after one day of rehydrating with my apple cider vinegar, fresh juices, and kombucha, loading up on vitamins, and getting in a solid workout. If you want more tips, my girls Karena & Katrina at Tone It Up have a helpful blog post on 5 Steps to Bounce Back as well!